Now and then in the past twenty-three (23) years, I have been sharing with the readers of this column the business struggles of our brothers and sisters in the underworld economy… to survive.

This time, I would like to share again with you the story of my friend Alex Alo, a 40-year old taho vendor from Eastern Samar who migrated to Metro Manila three (3) years ago to find a job.

Alex Alo finished his high school from the Dorente National High School in Eastern Samar. He has four (4) brothers and two (2) sisters who have been supported by the earnings of his parents in their small lechon business.

Asked how he landed in Metro Manila as a taho vendor. Alex said: “Some years ago, my wife had two (2) big boils in her legs diagnosed in the province as cysts. My wife’s brother from Batangas offered to pay for the medical treatment of my wife.”

After the successful treatment of his wife in Batangas, Alex decided to look for a job in Metro Manila. Alex had no stable job in Samar. Since his other younger brother is also a taho vendor for the past fifteen (15) years in Metro Manila, Alex decided to sell taho, too.

For the past three years, Alex has been waking up before 5:00 early morning to buy two (2) pails of cooked taho in a taho factory in Bario Kasilawan, Makati. Everyday about fifty (50) other taho vendors who peddle taho in the streets of Makati also line up to buy cooked taho. Except for the cooked taho which Alex buys from the taho factory, Alex, like other taho vendors provides the cups (5 oz, 8 oz and 16 oz); sugar (mix of brown and white sugar); and about ¼ kilo of cooked sago. Like other taho peddlers, Alex peddles his taho in a secondhand pushcart which he bought years ago. Since the cooked taho gets spoiled in the afternoon, Alex sells taho only in the morning and he goes back to the taho factory after noontime to pay for the two (2) pails of cooked taho amounting to P220.00. Alex makes a net profit of about P400.00 a day… if he sells the two (2) pails of taho.

“What do you do with the unsold taho?,” I asked.

“Oh, we cooked the unsold taho into “tokwa” and sell again. Of course, our profit in tokwa is very much less our profit in the taho business.”

Since Alex is free in the afternoon, there are times he also sells boiled young corn, if in season in the afternoon. Says Alex, “I am able to sell 75-82 pieces (at P10-P15 each) of boiled corn.”

I asked, “And if there are no young corn available, what do you do in the afternoon?”

“Sometimes I am hired to make lechon. My parents taught us how to make lechon.”

Alex Alo has three (3) children. The eldest (twin girls) are already 16 years old and the youngest is a 12-year-old boy. The girls are in their 4th year high school at San Antonio National High School, Makati while the boy, grade 6, studies at La Paz Elementary School, also in Makati.

“Do you have savings for the college studies of your children? Alex’s answer. “None. I don’t even have funds to pay for PhilHealth, or SSS, or Pag-Ibig. My wife is not working. Pero masaya ako. Hindi kami pinababayaan ni Lord. Wala kaming mga sakit.” (But I am happy. Our Lord has not forsaken us. We are in good health).

I am humbled by the positive attitude of Alex and the other street vendors as well. Their fighting spirits to succeed in their small businesses is astounding.

The simplicity of Alex life is indeed admirable. His life is free from the stress that corporate executives/officials and big-time entrepreneurs normally go through. And mind you, there is no stress pills that Alex or other street vendors need to have that peace that transcends all understanding.

Have a joyful day!